Newsletter
The University of Rijeka (UNIRI) puts Open Science at the centre of its policies with a strong focus on empowering early-career researchers (ECRs). By equipping ECRs with essential skills and resources from the start, UNIRI fosters transparency, collaboration, and societal impact in research. Discover how UNIRI is transforming academic culture and shaping a future where Open Science is the standard.
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Nataša Jakominić Marot is Head of the University of Rijeka Centre for Research and Innovation. She is an expert in EU higher education and R&I policy and an institutional peer reviewer in her fields of expertise, her portfolio also including EU programmes&projects, innovation and knowledge valorisation. Nataša holds MA in languages from the University of Zagreb, MBA in Public Administration and Management from Vienna, executive education in Innovation for Economic Development from Harvard University, and in a PhD candidate in Sustainable Development. Nataša leads transformative training sessions on developing research support services at universities, leveraging her knowledge and practical insights.
The University of Rijeka (UNIRI) is creating new opportunities for early-career researchers (ECRs) by promoting openness, collaboration, and accessible research. As the first Croatian institution to formally commit to Open Science (OS), UNIRI is making significant strides in shaping a culture of openness both nationally and internationally. Learn how these initiatives are shaping the future of research.
A Commitment to Open Science
UNIRI’s journey began in 2019 when it became the first Croatian institution— and one of the first in Europe—to adopt a formal Declaration on Open Science. This bold move was followed in 2021 by the adoption of an Open Science Policy, which aims to integrate Open Science practices throughout the academic community. That same year, UNIRI signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), further solidifying its dedication to fair and transparent research evaluation.
A key focus of these efforts is ensuring open access to scientific publications, utilizing platforms such as the Open Journal Systems (OJS) and Open Monograph Press (OMP). UNIRI’s institutional repositories are connected to Croatia’s national database, Dabar, which adheres to international standards like OpenAIRE and FAIR, ensuring a broader reach for research output.
UNIRI’s Open Science efforts are supported by several internal units, each playing a distinct role. UNIRI library’s Centre for Open Science and Scientific Information Management (COZ) provides the essential infrastructure for managing scientific data, promoting Open Science, and supporting the implementation of the university’s Open Science Policy. On the other hand, the Science Outreach Centre (SOCRI) strengthens connections with the general public.
UNIRI’s Role in the OPUS Project
As a pilot institution in the Open and Universal Science (OPUS) Horizon Europe project, UNIRI is taking significant steps to promote Open Science. Within OPUS, the Rectorate coordinates efforts implemented by COZ, SOCRI, and the Faculty of Law (PRAVRI), which hosts the UNIRI OPUS pilot cohort. While the first two units ensure pilot activities are available to all early-career researchers and sometimes all UNIRI academics, PRAVRI focuses on embedding Open Science within the social and legal sciences targeting specific needs of the cohort by offering group and one-on-one coaching and training to address specific Open Science challenges in legal studies.
The OPUS pilot primarily targets doctoral students and early-career researchers, focusing on three main areas:
• Research: Supporting open-access publishing and transparent research methods.
• Education: Building skills for clear science communication and public engagement.
• Valorization: Promoting the dissemination of research to a wider audience and encouraging societal impact.
To drive these goals forward, UNIRI has created a comprehensive action plan aimed at institutional reforms and better research evaluation. The plan prioritizes recognizing and rewarding Open Science practices, ensuring that transparency and openness are valued in the academic environment.
The national OS infrastructure in Croatia is already well developed, thus allowing UNIRI's efforts to focus on training and education to equip its academic community with the right skills and resources and address the needs of the ECRs as our primary OPUS target group. The UNIRI OPUS Action Plan features several initiatives, including e.g. workshops on publication drafting to help researchers prepare open-access articles, public speaking training to improve communication of complex scientific topics to the general public, targeted OS skills development training for ECRs, and much more.
UNIRI’s targeted activities are not limited to the academic community; they aim to change the research culture by, for example,
• Hosting Open Science cafés, informal gatherings where researchers discuss their work in a relaxed setting.
• Expanding institutional repositories to improve visibility and impact.
• Encouraging public speaking on science topics to make research widely considered and accessible.
Responding to the needs of ECRs, UNIRI has established EduDoc, a central Open Science resource hub, specifically focused towards doctoral candidates and ECRs in general. EduDoc is integrated with COZ, making it a go-to resource for Open Science best practices, guidelines, and event information.
Public engagement is at the heart of UNIRI’s valorization activities in this project. OPUS Pilot Valorization efforts directed towards public engagement are managed by SOCRI, which plays a critical role in bridging the gap between the academic world and the wider community. Through events, workshops, and collaborative projects, SOCRI fosters scientific literacy and encourages a dialogue between researchers and the public. SOCRI also hosts Virtual SOCRI, an online repository that provides open access to outreach activities through videos and interactive material.
Leading the Way in Open Science
UNIRI’s efforts are making a tangible impact, not just within our own institution, but in the broader movement towards Open Science. By championing a culture of transparency, openness, and collaboration and by actively contributing to the work of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and engaging in Research Assessment reform activities, the University of Rijeka is setting a new standard in Croatia and beyond.
We lead by example, testifying that commitment to Open Science is about more than just adopting policies—it is about transforming the way research is conducted, shared, and valued. Through our pioneering initiatives, UNIRI is demonstrating that Open Science is not just the future of research, but its present, and we are leading the way in making that future a reality. Join us!
Nataša Jakominić Marot
LinkedIn
University of Rijeka Centre for Research and Innovation
natasa@uniri.hr
References
Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). About - CoARA
EduDoc. Naslovna - EduDoc
University of Rijeka. Odobren projekt Open Universal Science. Odobren projekt Open Universal Science | UNIRI
University of Rijeka. (2021). Open Science Policy of the University of Rijeka. OPEN SCIENCE POLICY | UNIRI
University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law. Otvorena znanost i otvoreni pristup. Otvorena znanost i otvoreni pristup – Pravni fakultet
University of Rijeka, Science Outreach Centre. Virtualni centar – Sveučilište u Rijeci, Centar za popularizaciju i promociju znanosti
University of Rijeka, University library. Centre for Open Science and Scientific Information Management (COZ). Otvorena znanost Uniri Open science Naslovna - %open science
Zelenika, S., & Jakominić Marot, N. (2024). University of Rijeka Reform of Research Assessment: CoARA Action Plan 2024–2027. UNIRI. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10634416